Apparatus for twisting strands



Nov. 2o, 1934. L, WEAVER 1,981,134

APPARATUS FOR TWISTING STRANDS Filed Jan. 9, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 l lf.

i /NVENTOR A L.L.`WEVE/P R m MM ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR TWISTING STRANDS G' /NvE/vTo/e L. L. WEA VER A TOR/VEY Nov. 20, 1934. L. l.. WEAVER APPARATUS FOR TWISTING STRANDS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 9, 1932 FIG. 4.

FIG. 5.

/N VENTOR Z.. .WEAVER ATTORNEY Nov. 20, 1934. l.. l.. WEAVER I 1,981,134

APPARATUS FOR TWISTING STRANDS Filed Jan. 9, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 6.

'/NVEN'OR 74h)m yL.L-WEVER ATTORNEY aienie Nov. 2i?, i934 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcr:d

APPARATUS Fon TWISTING srnANps Application January 9, 1932, Serial No. 585,760

8 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for twisting strands, and more particularly to high speed apparatus for twisting exible strand such as electrical cordage.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus for twisting strands that is operable at high speeds to produce an improved twisted cord, the individual strands of which are substantially free from back twist.

Briefly, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of supply reels of strand are provided, each of which has a flier rotating therearound, whereby a twist is placed in each of the individual strands. The twisted strands are led to a twisting die, together with a plurality of ller twines, and are then passed through a large nier, which twists the several strands and I'lller twines together. From the large nier, the cord of twisted strands is led to a serving head where a wrapping is applied thereto, after which it is guided onto a take-up reel.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a side elevational view of a strand twisting machine with a portion of the housing broken away;

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional. view of the upper portion of a strand twisting machine;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the lower portion of a strand twisting machine;

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view of the upper portion of a small nier;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the lower portion of a small flier;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the driving mechanism, and

Fig. 7 is a view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views, and particularly to Figs. l, 2 and 3, 10 represents, generally, a strand twisting machine in which 11 is a housing that encloses the twisting mechanism. The housing is provided with doors 12, by means of which access may be had to the apparatus contained in the housing. Rotatably mounted within the housing is a large flier 14, consisting of head and base portions 15 and 16 rotatably supported at the top and bottom, respectively, of the housing, and side portions or arms 17 which connect the head and base portions. The supports for the large ier 14 comprise a bearing member 20 mounted o'n the floor of the housing 11, and a bearing member 21 mounted in the top of the housing. One of the arms 17 is provided with channel 22 through which a strand may be guided. 'I'he head l5 is provided with sheaves 25 for guid- 60 ing a strand from one of the arms 17 to a central aperture 26, and the base is provided with similar sheaves 27 for guiding a strand from a central aperture 28 to the channeled arm 17.

The flier head and base 15 and 16 respectively, are provided with bearings 30 and 31 respectively, which support the upper and lower members 33 and 34 respectively, of a strand supply supporting frame 35. A main driving shaft 37 passes from the top of the housing 11, down through the central aperture 26 of the head 15 of the flier, which is xed to the shaft 37 by means of the key 39, passes through the upper member of the frame 35, in which it is journalled, and into a housing 40 in the lower member 34 of the vframe 35, where it 75 carries a gear 38, and where it is journalled, The shaft 37 has an axial bore 36 extending from the top down into the flier head 15, and an aperture in which a portion of one of the sheaves 25 is disposed. 'I'he lower member 34 of the frame 35 80 consists of a platform 41 on which the housing 40 is mounted and a lower supporting arm 42 which engages the bearing retainer 44, and which carries a housing 43. Within the housing is a gear 45 'xed to the flier base 16, and freely ro- 85 tatable within the housing 43. A short shaft 46 rotatably supported in the platform 41 and the housing 43, has xed to one end thereof the gear 48 meshing with the gear 38, and fixed at the other end a gear 49 meshing with the gear 45. 9o.

The gears 48 and 49 are identical in size and number of teeth, and the gears 38 and 45 are identical in size and number of teeth. From this it is apparent that the gear 45 must rotate at the same speed as the gear 33, and the ier is thus driven at both ends.

Within the housing 43 of the frame supporting arm 42 is mounted a rotatable twisting die 50 to which is secured a gear 51. A short shaft 52 xed in the housing 43 has rotatably mounted thereon 100 two gears 53 and 54, the former of which meshes with the gear 51 and the latter of which meshes with a gear 55 that is rotatable with the ier base. The tooth ratios between gears 51 and 53, and 54 and 55 are such that the gear 51 and 105 consequently the die 50 are rotated in the same direction as and at substantially twice the velocity of the large flier.

The driving shaft 37, in passing through the main housing 11, also passes through and rotates in a gear 56 that is fixed to the housing, and a gear 57 that is fixed to the upper member 33 of the frame 35. A short shaft 58 passesthrough and is rotatably supported in the head 15 of the iiier, and it has a gear 59 fixed to one end and meshing with the fixed gear 56, and has a gear 60 fixed to the other end and meshing with the gear 57. Since the shaft 58 is displaced from the axis of rotation of the ier head 15, it will be carried around the driving shaft 37, and the gears 59 and 60 will roll around the fixed gear 56 and the frame member gear 57, respectively. If the ratio between the number of teeth on the gear 59 to the number of teeth on the gear 56 is the same as the ratio of the number of teeth on the gear 60 to the number of teeth on the gear 57, there can be no rotation of the gear 57, and consequently the frame 35 will remain stationary.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the upper member 33 of the frame 35 is provided with a vertically bored portion 65 in whichl is rotatably mounted a downwardly extending shaft 66. Also, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the platform 41 of the lowerv frame member 34 is provided with a vertically bored portion 67 in which is rotatably mounted an upwardly extending shaft 6 8. The shafts 66 and 68 rotatably support the upper and lower ends respectively of a wire supply reel support 70, and the head and base respectively of a small flier 71. 'I'he member 70 (Fig. 1) is provided with a spindle 100 adapted to receive and rotatably support a supply reel 101.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 4, the shaft 66 has keyed thereto a iiier head 73 to which are attached the upper ends of the flier arms 74. A suitable bearing 75 on the lower end of the shaft 66 supports the upper end of the supply supporting member 70. 'I'he shaft 66 is provided with an axial bore 78 with which is aligned an aperture 79 in the top of the member 70. A grooved sheave 80 rotatably mounted within the iiier head 73 has a portion disposed in a recess in the shaft 66 so that the peripheral groove of the sheave is in alignment with the axial bore of the shaft. The groove of the sheave is also in alignment with one of the iiier arms 74, which may be channeled to support and guide a strand. 'Ihe arrangement thus described enables a strand to pass upwardly into the bore of the shaft 66, aroundthe sheave 80, and intothe ,flier arm 74.

In Fig. 5, the reference numeral indicates a flier base which is keyed to the shaft 68. A bearing 86 at the top of the shaft 68 rotatably supports the lower end of the member 70, to which is fixed in any convenient manner such as a key, the gear 87, in lwhich the shaft is freely rotatable. The upper end of the portion 67 of the platform 41 has a gear 89 fixed thereto, so as to be non-rotatable. Meshing with the gear 89, is a gear 90 -which isl fixed to one end of a short shaft 91 that is rotatably mounted in the lower flier head 85. At the other end of the shaft 91 is fixed a gear 93 meshing with the gear 87 on the member 70. The iiier head 85 has secured thereto a gear 95 mounted directly below the gear 89, and meshing with the gear 48 (Fig. 1). The gear 95 has the same number of teeth as the gear 38 (Fig. 1), from which it follows that the small flier rotates at the same speed as the large ier. Since the gear 48 serves merely asv an idler, the small and large fliers rotate in the same direction. 'I'he arrangement of the train of 60, 59 and 56, and the operation is .the Same. .n

. the small fliers.

Again referring to Fig. 5, the shaft 68 is provided with an axial bore 98 in alignment with an aperture 96 at the lower end of the portion 67 of the platform 41. A grooved sheave 97 is rotatably mounted in the lower flier head 85 and it has a portion disposed in a recess in the shaft 68 so that its peripheral groove is in alignment-with the bore 95 of the shaft. The groove of the sheave is also in alignment with the channeled :dier arm 74 so that a strand passing down through the flier arm may be guided over the sheave 97 into the bore 98 of the shaft 68 and may emerge therefrom through the aperture 96. As indicated in Fig. 1, the path of a strand being drawn from the supply reel 101 is into the aperture 79, over the sheave 80, down through the channeled flier arm 74, over the sheave 97, and out through .the aperture 96. In addition to the supply of strand, it has also been found desirable to provide a supply of filler twine. The arrangement, as-shown in Fig. 1, is to provide a support consisting of brackets 105 adapted to support a supply reel 106. The brackets are mounted on the platform 41 and are positioned on the opposite side thereof from the wire supply reel support, so that the main driving shaft is between them. The platform 41 is provided with an opening between the brackets, so that a portion of the reel 106 may extend below the platform, and the twine is withdrawn from the reel below the platform and is brought to the entrance to the twisting die.

The description of the supply reel mounting and small iiier has thus far been confined to a single assembly for working `one strand. However, it should be understood that one supply reel mounting and associated small flier must be provided for each strand that is to be fed to the large flier to enter into the final twisted strand. In addition, it has been found preferable to employ an equal number of filler twines. While any reasonable number of strands may be twisted together in a machine of this type, the one herein particularly shown in the drawings and covered by the description is intended to twist three conductors together to form a twisted strand. It follows from this that three assemblies preferably identical with the one shown in Figs. 4 and 5 together with the necessary associated apparatus must be employed. The preferred arrangement is shown in Fig. 7 wherein three supply reels and associated small fliers are spaced equally from each other and from the main driving shaft upon Fig. '1 the arms of the large and small fliers are streamlined, by which is meant that their transverse contour is such as to minimize air resistance. In a high speed twister of the flier type the reduction of air resistance is an important factor, since the power required to operate the machine is thereby reduced.

It is clearly shown in Figs. l and 7 that the distance from the axis of each of the small fliers to the path of rotation Aof the large flier is less than the greatest distance from axis to arm of It follows from this that each of the arms of the small filers extends across the path of the large flier during a fraction of each revolution of the small fliers. It should be observed, however, that the large flier may, if desired, be constructed larger, or the small filers could be made smaller, so that their paths would not intersect. It has previously been stated that the small fliers rotate at a speed equal to that of the large ier. It is therefore true that during one revolution of the large flier, its path is obstructed six times by lan arm of a small flier. The timing of the system must be such that the large flier does not collide with any of the arms of the small fliers, and the timing must also be such that at intervals during one revolution of the large flier, the portions of theiiier paths adjacent to each supply reel must be free of flier arms to permit replacement of supply reels. In the preferred construction, with the large and small fliers rotating in the same direction, the small fliers are adjusted so that the plane common to the arms of each flier is parallel to the planes of the arms of the other two fliers. Then the large iiier is adjusted so that the plane common to its arms is substantially sixty degrees in advance of the planes of the arms of the small fliers. Since each of the small fliers is connected to the large fiier through the gears 38, 48 and 95, and gears 38 and 95 are identical in size and number of teeth, it follows that once the iers are adjusted in their proper positions, the angular relationships between them cannot vary. The preferred arrangement is clearly shown in Fig. '7.

The drivingmechanism for the strand twister is shown in Figs. 1 and 6. Any suitable source of motive power such as an electric motor 110 may be employed, and it may be mounted on the top of the housing 11. A driving shaft 111 coupled to the motor shaft 112 by means of a coupling 114 has a spiral gear 115 meshing with another spiral gear 116 carried by the driven shaft 118. The flier driving shaft 37 has mounted on the end that projects through the top of the housing 11 a spiral gear 119 meshing with a spiral gear 120 mounted on the driven shaft 118. By means of this driving mechanism, rotation is imparted to the ier driving shaft 37, which operates the large flier and also the small fliers associated with the indi- Vidual strands.

The top of the housing 11 is provided with a serving head 122 through which a completely twisted strand is conducted, and by means of which a suitable retaining wrapping is applied to the strand. The serving mechanism which may be of any suitable type, is driven by a shaft 123 on which is secured a gear 124 meshing with an idler gear 125 which in turn meshes with a gear 126 on the driven shaft 118. A sheave 128 guides the twisted strand from the shaft 37 to the serving head 122. The strand is drawn from the serving head by means of a capstan 130 around which it is passed one or more times. stan is driven by the shaft 118 through a suitable train of gears 131. A take-up reel 133 is provided at the base of the housing 11 for receiving and storing the completed strand, and the take-up reel is operated by suitable operating and tensioning mechanism (not shown). Positioned between the capstan and the take-up reel and in the path of the twisted strand is a shelf 135 on which one or more' extra packages of wrapping material for the serving head may be positioned. The twisted strand passes through a central aperture in the package of wrapping material, so that the package may be moved into serving position in The capthe serving head without necessitating cutting of the strand.

In operation, a reel of strand, such as fiexible conductor, preferably insulated, is placed upon the spindle of each of the supply holders, and a reel of filler twine is placed in each of the twine supply holders. Each of the three conductor strands is brought to the top of its associated small flier. over the guiding sheave 80, down through the flier arm 74, over the guiding sheave 97, and out through the bottom of the ier support. The strands thus emerging from the three small fliers, together with a strand of filler twine from each ofthe three supply reels, are passed through the twisting die in the bottom of the machine and around the sheaves in the base of the main flier. They then pass upwardly through the channeled arm 17 ofthe mainier, around the sheaves 25 in the head of the flier and into the axial cylindrical bore 36 in the main driving shaft through the aperture in the shaft. 'I'hey emerge from the upper end of the shaft, pass around the guide sheave 128 that is in alignment therewith, and that aligns them with the serving head. They then pass through the serving head' 122, and around the capstan 130.

After the strands have been thus strung through the machine, the driving motor may be started. As previously pointed out, the rotations strands around their respective supplies, and the main filer which carries the three strands together around the supply supporting frame, are

in the same direction. As a strand enters its associated small flier it is carried around the portion being drawn from the reel, so that a predetermined number of twists per unit of length are produced in the strand. The portion of the strand that is being rotated is in advance of the axially stationary portion. The strand is then carried through the flier arm to the bottom of the flier, where it emerges. At thisA point, the portion of the strand then positioned in the flier arm is carried around the portion that has emerged therefrom. yThe direction of travel of the strand as it emerges is opposite to its direction as it enters the flier, and also the portion of the strand that is being rotated is behind the portionthat is axially stationary. The two relationships of the strand with respect to the fiier are thus reversed, with the result that additional twists in the same direction are produced in the wire, the number per unit length being the same as the number that were produced at the top of the ier. The number of twists produced in the wire is dependent upon the speed of rotation of the flier, which is rotated through gearing from the main driving shaft, as previously set forth. The pretwisting of the strand by the small filer naturally causes a longitudinal contraction of the strand.

From the three small fliers the three similarly pretwisted strands and the three filler twines enter the rotating twisting die 50, which, as previously stated, is rotated at twice the speed of the large flier and in the same direction. This die closely engages the several wires and twine strands. and insures that they are properly positioned for intertwisting. The twisting die, by reason of its rotation`at twice the speed of the fliers, twists the strands together at a rate of twist per unit of length substantially equal to the rate of twist of the small fliers. As the strands thus twisted enter the base of large flier from the twisting die directly above, one half of the twist moved. This is because the ier carries the strands around in the same direction in which they are twisted by the die. They proceed up through the flier arm and emerge at the top of the iiier as a cord consisting of conductors and ller twines intertwisted around each other. At the point at which the strand leaves the large flier head, additional twists are produced in the strand, the amount of twist being equal to that produced at the base of the flier. It may be determined, by tracing the path of the strand, that the twisting at the top of the flier is in the same direction as the twisting at the bottom of the flier. 'I'he large flier operates to intertwist the several strands together in a manner similar to that in which the small iers pretwist the individual strands, except that the twisting die forms a strand containing all of the twist that is desired in the final product, that' one half of this twist is removed at the base of the large flier, and that the same quantity is added at the top of the flier.

It has previously been stated that the large flier rotates in the same direction as do the small fliers, and also that the strands enter the large flier at the bottom and emerge therefrom at the top. It lfollows from these two facts that the large flier carries the strands around oppositely to the direction in which they were individually twisted by the small fliers, and that the large flier will tend to remove from the several strands the twists that were introduced therein by the small fliers. This removal of the pretwist fromv the conductor strands proceeds simultaneously with the intertwisting cf the strands around each other, and at both ends of the flier. In this way, in the final product, the individual conductor strands are substantially without twist. I It thus becomes apparent that the purpose of the small fliers is to compensate for a twisting effect exerted by the large ier upon the individual strands, and that the small fliers produce in the strands a pretwist lwhich counteracts a twist produced by the large flier. Thus the wires emerge from the large flier intertwisted together and substantially free from individual angular' distortion, and without ap' preciable backtwist, which they might in some instances possess if twisted without a compensating reverse pretwist.

The principal purpose of the twisting die is to twist each of the filler twines so that they will suffer a longitudinal contraction and will thus be distorted similarly to the conductor strands. When the twist in the individual conductor strands is removed, the twist will also be removed from the filler twines, and both will suffer longitudinal expansion. Thus all of the component strands of the final product will be under substantially the same tension, and will remain in their desired positions. A twisted strand could be produced without employing a twisting die, but it has been found preferable to employ thel die, in

the wires, filler twines and the twisted strand through the machine, after which it is wound upon the take-up reel.

In the description of the planetary gearing at the top of the large nier, it has been stated that if the ratios between the number of teeth of each pair of meshing gears are the same the frame which carries the small fliers will remain stationary. It follows from this that if the ratios are different, the Lframe will be caused to rotate, the speed of rotation depending upon the difference between the two ratios. In the preferred construction, there is a slight' difference between these ratios,v sufficient to produce rotation of the frame at the rate of a few revolutions per minute in order thatthe various parts of the mechanism may pass before the doors for observation during operation. Similarly, a ratio difference in the Vplanetary gears at the bottom of the small fliers would produce rotation of the supply supporting member.

If desired, any conventional clutch mechanism may be provided for disengaging the gear 56 from the housing 11, and also for disengaging the gear 120 from the shaft 118, in order that the frame 35 may be manually rotated to bring any portion thereof into registry with the doors, as, for example, to replenish the supply of conductor strand or filler twine.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it is apparent 'that many variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a strand twisting mechanism, a rotatable' 110 the first named fliers, and differential gearing 115 between the last named iiier and the frame for imparting rotation to the latter at a fraction of the velocity of the iiier.

2. In a strand twisting mechanism, a rotatable frame, a plurality of strand supply supports la:

mounted thereon, a small flier rotatable around each of the supply supports, a large ier rotatable around the frame, means for rotating the large flier in the same direction as the first named iers, planetary differential gearing at one end of the large flier for rotating the frame, and planetary gearing at the other end of the large flier for rotating the small fliers. 'y

3. In a` strand twisting mechanism, aplurality of strand supply supports, movable means associated with each of a part of the plurality of strand supply supports for pretwisting a strand, and movable means for intertwisting a plurality of strands together and for removing the previously imposed twist from some of the strands and y imposing a twist upon others of the strands.

4. In a strand twisting mechanism, a rotatable member carrying a plurality of strand supply supports, means rotatable around eachl support for pretwisting the strand supplied therefrom individually before the strands are intertwisted together, rotatable means rotating in the same direction as the individual strand pretwisting means for intertwisting all of the strands around each other and for removing from the strands the individual twist previously imposed thereupon, and means for rotating the last mentioned twisting means at a predetermined speed and for rotating the rotatable member at a different speed.

5. In a strand twisting mechanism, a rotatable frame, a iirst plurality of strand supplies mounted thereon, a plurality of iiiers mounted on the frame and respectively rotatable around each supply to individually pretwist a strand drawn therefrom, a second plurality of strand supplies also mounted on the frame, an outer ier rotatable around the frame and the parts carried thereby to intertwist together the pretwisted strands drawn from the rst plurality of supplies and the unpretwisted strands drawn from the second plurality of supplies, the outer flier being rotated around the frame in such a direction that the unpretwisted strands are individually twisted and the pretwisted strands are individually untwisted while being intertwisted together.

6. In a strand twisting mechanism, a xed support, a rotatable ier mounted thereon, a rotatable frame mounted within the flier, a plurality of fliers mounted on the frame, a strand supply mounted within each of the last named fliers, means to drive the rst named flier, means to drive the last named ers, and means to rotate the frame relatively to the xed support.

7. In a strand twisting mechanism, a fixed support, a rotatable flier mounted thereon, a rotatable frame mounted within the flier, a plurality of fliers mounted on the frame, a strand supply mounted within each of the last named fliers, a driving member on the frame, and a train of gears to rotate the rst named flier relatively to the support and to rotate the last named fliers relatively to the frame and to rotate the frame relatively to the support.

8. A method of forming a compound strand from a plurality of component strands which comprises the steps of pretwisting a portion only of the component strands individually, then bringing all the strands together, and then intertwisting all the strands in such fashion that the pretwisted strands are untwisted individually and the unpretwisted strands are twisted individually.

LEO L. WEAVER. 

